A Prayer before taking of Physick.
O Merciful Father, who art the Lord of health, and of sickness, of life, and of death; who killest,* 1.1 and makest a∣live; who bringest down to the grave, and raisest up again: I come unto thee as to the only Physician, who canst cure my Soul from sin, and my Body from sickness. I de∣sire neither life nor death, but refer my self to thy most holy Will. For,* 1.2 tho' we must needs die, and being dead, our lives are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gather'd up again: yet hath thy gracious Providence (whilst li•••• remaineth) ap∣pointed means which thou wilt have thy Children to use; and (by the lawful use thereof) to expect thy blessing upon thine own means, to the curing of their sickness, and restitution of their health. A••d now, O Lord, in this my necessity, I have ac∣cording to thine Ordinance, se••t for thy Servant (the Physician) who hath pre∣pared for me this Physick, which I re∣ceive as means sent from thy fatherly hand: I beseech thee therefore, that as by thy blessing on a l••••p of dry Figs,* 1.3 thou didst heal Hezekiah's sore, that he reco∣vered; and by seven times washing in the